Feeler mechanism for weft-repleneshing looms.



' E. H. BALLOU. FEELER MECHANISM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED 001118, 1912.

' 1,084,124! Patented Jan.13,1914.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I GQ

E. H. BALLOU. FEELER'MEGHANISM FOR WEFT REPLENISHING L0 OMS. Patented J an. 13, 1914;

\ APP LIOATION FILED 0OT .1B, 1912. 1,084,1 24.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 s. 7 mm AVAEIABLE COPY BEE-ENE BALLOU, OE PAWTUCKET. RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR- T DRAPER COM- PANY, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, AUORPORATION OF MAINE Mn/413, eumzm'n: 1 5,, 11s in the planes Ea it. A n that L EUGENE BALI/DU; indicated 0 7-? and 8-3,

of Pawtucket, in the cmlnty of Paw valence I 1-; and iifiillfii of Binnie lslumi, have 11. 1

6111 aufficient of. sem improvements si'mw the shutfle- 2h 100111 man ab? 69 1"" eler Mechanism for: flak-Bey?nizshiny L00; s, of which the folhmin a 5 c A, an the by M the detecting side of H10 eamsn. leom; (he shuitie 5,, within the shuttle box i i A; a weft :zurrier 1, within the shuttiv x new feeier mechanism 01? Weft-i Carri/in supply 0f weft I); a Durtinn 0E looms which dftects the approaci'ling i the bra imam and ibe r00 (tinny-e hausa'ionof the Weft Within the running shaft F xx'hivn id rocked Hie. 'weflkyw shuttle and initiates the we' t-rcblen fi g pienishin'g Action :5 i'nit.- .which conacionso that ifl wei'brepiemshmmit 1 [I013 1in: zwfb-reple 15 completed before 31' Weft within *ehe shuit, E woHJnw-wn way,

is cempleieiy @Xii'r stai thus enabling pa-rspiriidine for exam .v i

Elie PXEBSGB'iZ im n'm ements 42H xelsvii-11 311 b 2Q si-iutvi 1 and cumi wnxzci with Hm of wall of r! mile 15' 'weiz't Swain. zi-ers are so related he renmi'ni'ng meclisz feeler: is IIlOVQCi iniq- 111; t0 the inmim- 11st be (1e- 7 1 111 11, on H the auxiliary 3V my; the wc-xi'i align-umber; M- s mijnstvd furmu'iiiv' so as to have 11 0 exhaustmn dam-e rendering the primzu its usvfni uaijus ment will subscfeeler actiu'e hence: institnl'ing (he re- 3 qswnfly be explained. phanis hing action. This thin fcuieii9 cm i Bulb oi the fedora 1-, and ii, are conpiojjeci in case Weftczu'riers 0'1": .isual (:r i :1a'* *f-:( so in i'iw-iy-ymrata when acted upon stiiic'ziunnave Moxie available mi may v by Hm W23 i. TE prim-airy 1 :01 U; is employed when 11% speci '1 Wm. (run-i015: m, n mini 13pm: Hm s ndm y fwtlm? G. s6 i faml in move Hmrewiii" The z x cmidmy 1 99101 G,

in the acuoxz'ipanylw' flaw, such as the frontillusi'nited wherein if 'nmiiimis of Hm.

is a 'xt-"liiPfli i m indiiiai mi i he fey-102's G, and ii is u aimiiiu box. the aim ing side of the 1- Fig ino (winding iiwn b0? S's m we mi (ring i (he \vr-it .1 the juiy fi:

0d within a guide If "Eas- .100

, oi the final I The feeler sion of the beat of the lay. When the lay again recedes,

the spring L, restores the feelers G, and H, to their normal rearward position. In addition to this reciprocating movement which the primary :feeler H, has in common with the secondary feeler G, it has an independent movement of its own. H, reciprocates with respect to the'ieeler G. The feeler G, surrounds the feeler H, at its rear or feeling end, (Figs. -t-, and 5,) so to furnish a guide therefor. At its torwardend, the tcelcr ll, pivotally connected to the lower arm c, of a lever which ad'ustahly and. pivoially connected at a, to a bracket 6, on the shank J, of the feeler G. This lever has a long forwardly extending arm f, the weight of which tends normally to cause the feeler H, to project rearwardly beyond the feeler Gr, and nearer the weft D, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5.

Vl hen the lay heats forward with the shuttle in the shuttle-box A, at the detecting side of the loom, the Weft D, first comes in contact with the rearwardly projecting primary lecler H, causing it to slide torwardl upon the teeler thereby liftingthe ion hardly earti'znding Weighted arm j, of the lover a, f, as shown in l ig. l and imi'ncdiaiel y thereafter the weft encoun the roaiwerd end of. the secondary teelcr (l, and during the remainder of the forward best i of the lay, both feelers move forwariilly to gether against the st see of the spring L. When the lay retreats, both feelers move rcarwardly together under the stress of the spring L, and the primary feeler H, moves still farther rearwardly on account of the weight of the arm f, of the lever c, f. This action continues until the supply of the weft becomes so far reduced as to demand weft-replenishrncnt. When this critical point is reached, (assuming the auxilii-iry 't'celer l, to be out of action), the prin'iary finger ll, does not come into eil'cc'tivccoir tact with the weft in substantial advance of the secondary Eccler Gr, so that both lcelcrs move forward substantially together and the t'eclcr ll, does not slide upon the icelor G, and mnscqueutly the forwardly extending arm f, starts the well:--i.'cplenishing ll'lQClflZtnism into action. since it n'iainlains its lower most position. The retention of this lowcn most position by the arm f, starts the weft replenishing mechanism. into action, but bctore the controlling mechanism is described attention will he directed" to the peculiar construction of the weft-carrier .l, which permits this concurrently cli'ectz-id movement l of both feelers. licwveltwarrirzr (l, at its portion. which ri-gr' this with the primary tccler H, is {oi-mod with loun'iimlinal grooves or flutes g, as shown in Figs. 8, l and 5, these flntes lining located all the way around the weftspring L, during tie remainder.

.is a lever feelers move forward. with the carrier C, so that one of them is always opposits the primary feeler H. These grooves or flutes are similar in function to those described in. United States Letters Patent of Northrop, No. 686,903, November 19, 1901. When the Weft approaches exhaustion, the primary finger H, (which is thin at its feeling" end) crowds the weft into one of these grooves, (Fig. 5,) so that, finally, the primary linger l-I, does not come in contact with the Weft in substantial advance oi. the finger G, and hence both fingers move forwardly together and there is no independent sliding of the primary i'eoler on the secondary feeler. As alr ady stated, the result of this failure of the primary finger to slide upon the secondary finger is to leave the arm 1", in its normal. lower position, at which time a pin it, (carried by it) rests (Figs. 1, and 3,) upon a controller M, which pivoted at e', to an extension of the breast-beam. The arm f, has a tooth l, on its lower face which, normally, (that is, when the feelers are at rest), is just back of the rear upper corner of a 'ledj e m, on the controller M. When the' we t encounters the primary finger H, in. adiance of the secondary leeler G, during the forward swing of the lay this tooth Z, oil. the arm. f, is ll t'ted above the lodge in, so that said tooth rides forwardly clear above the ledge, as indicated in 4:. 'VVlien, however, due to the approaching exhaustion of the weft, the arm is maintained in its lower position the tooth Z, encounters the lodge in, as the two result that the controller M, is swung on'its pivot-Z.

The controller M, has a short arm 7), which is pivotally connected with a slide 0, which carries a cam r, as shown in Fig. 2. Normally a dagger P, rests upon the high part of this cam r. This dagger P, as shown. in Fig. 8, extends forwardly horizontally above the hreast-heam and is ivotally connected at its forward end witli a vertically extending arm Q, which is secured fast to the rocking change shaft F. Normally, this dagger l, is hold by the cam r, aliovc the path of a vibrating weft hammer .ll, which 'reciprocatcd in the usual way. When, however, the controller M, swung (owing to the tooth Z, encountering the lcrlgc m.) the cam r, is withdrawn. from the dagger l.

'wlicreuprm said dagger drops into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8, where it is in the path of the vibrating \vcttdiammcr. Accordingly, at its next forward stroke, the wefhhammer encounters the dagger I, moving it forwardly, thereby rocking the ch ange slial't F, and bringing about the Weft-rcplcnishment in a well-known way.

After the replenishment has been effected, a spring; (Fig. 6,) restores the controller M, and the cam slide 0, totlicir normal positions, and the change shaft l with its conhm special fluted weft-carriers or and enter a lluie g, in case a fill loetweet a ll.

heeled-parts are resbored to their normal posiiions in'tlie usual way.

The primary feeler ll, is aclyuslably located aml guided on the secondary leeler G, sothat the rearward projeciion of the primary feeler beyond the seconlery eel can lie regulateil, so as $0 insure correc action. For 'lliis purpose the pivot pin G, for tl elever c, f, is eccenliicolly l on a disk n, which turns williin e bearing '1, on the bracket '9, said lislz clamped in uny position of adjustment Toy the screw boll w, as shown in a The forward lCClPlTOCZIllOIl of llie H, is limited by a stop on the The feeler H, is loose vertically Wllllll E guide the rear end-oi? Elie f shown in Figs. 4;, and 5, thereby rieingund falling eapabilily within guide, thus permitting the feeler ll, lo

two flutes is in 'tllerlirect path of tile lieeler H.

Both of the feelers G, and Ill, encounter the weft, thus avoiding disturbance whicli' may be caused by variations in s oultlei-a Wef c-cerriers, and their relative positions,

require- Hence, l-l'ie auxiliary feeler em;- ployed which enables the loom co be used. with orrlinnry unflutecl wefccnrriers.

The" auxiliary feeler 1, screws into i bracket 3 feet on the i'ecler l} anal is held in its adjusted position by u loch: mu .2, as shown in Fig. The ieeler l, cloes ot contact Willi the vWeft but with datum surfacesncll as the frontwnll o" shuttle. When adjustecl to no the feeler l, encounters the shut tnc ieeler H, can be reciprocal-eel by the V will: the result that the shuttle p feelers G, 1, forward with the v in its lower position thus initiating lilo w' freplenisliing act-ion.

The feeler {l with its shank 5 serves :1 feeler support for the priniary feeler H, and the auxiliary feeler l, and ilie actuator consisting of the lever c, f, which actuotes ilie controller M, when the weft-replenielnng mechanism 18 to be sei; mic action,

ll licn the auxiliary feeler I is action no part of the pressure emailed to for spring;

- L (which moves the seller support lmvard that required. to push forward the primary wnrcllv'against.- the tension of the spring L feeler and lifctlze from; end of the actuator,

The entire work of pushing the 'ieeler support and the parts carried thereon fun is cranen'lililecl by the lav wry ieeler I. Ce-neequ v strain tending to displace on shuttle and, occeriln' both eiuer the sum waste well is reduced to minimum, close setting 03 the auxiliary feeler oeing perinissible.

1 claim .1. A feeler mechanism lfor a welt-re ynenisliing loom liming, in combination, a primary fee-lei" and secondary feeler, which boll; enter ilie sliuctle and come in con'lncl; will; l ke nines oi weft therein; u guide in. wlxicli the secondary feeler i'ecipi'oczites; u spring aeling on Me secondary feeler to move it toi'nrd the lay; a guide on the seem; lei-y i'eeler within which the primary an iin'lependent sliding mowznenlv its own, and a rising and falling copasuio. prin'iory 'ieeler nornmlly pro rezirwurilly beyiiancl the secondary to contact with the weft in ul- 2" ee oi the secondary feeler, and the connin so as to force the weft into a groove ci a fluted weftcarrler; a lever adyustably pivoted on lie secondary feeler and having a 'short arm pivotally connected with the prnnery :UHlllflYlElg a long arm with 21 tooth on the under side thereof; and a conirol ng lever for the weft-replenishing mechanism upon which said long arm of snirl lQYC-l i'wrn'nilly rests, a portion of't'ne '(l eonlrciling lever being in the path of mid tool l1, except vixen said lever is swung upwardly by 'tne independent sliding movement oi the primary feeler due to its encoiunier of me well in substantial advance of tire ecimrlury mecluznieni n for n weft-re" curler y feeler, which e and come in contact we the mass 0'? weir. ilierein; a guide in \Vl'll-Lll ilie secondary feel er reciproltales; :1 spring zicling on rue secondary feeler to ma 'e it roe-mil inc lay; a guide on the secondary feeler witoin which the primary feeler has an independent sliding movement of ils own, snicl primary feeler normally pmjerting renrwardly' beyond thesecomlurv feeler so to contact with the Well in advo-i'iee oi the secondary feeler, and the contacting end of said primary feeler being thin so as in force tlie weft into a groove of fluted weir-carrier; a lever pivoted on the seccnrlary feeler and having" a short arm pivot-ally connected with ilie primury leeler antllia-i'ing a long arm with a tooth on the under side thereof; and a controlling lever fin the weft-replenishing mechanism upon which said long arm of saicklever normally reels, a portion of the suid controlling lever being in the pzrlh of said too-5h, except, when sairl lever is swung upwardly by the independent sliding movement of tlieprirnzirv iieler clue to llIS encounter of the weft iii fol oi e of the seconi'lory ileelcr. n for a weft-reglenend of said primary feeler oeing ishing loom having, in combination, a primary feeler and a secondary feeler, which both enter the shuttle and come in contact With the mass of weft therein; a spring acting on the secondary feeler to move it to ward the lay; a guide on the secondary foeler within which the primary feeler has an independent, sliding movement ofits own, said primary feeler normally projecting rearwardly beyond. the secondary teeler so to contact with the weft in advance or the secondary fecler, and the contacting end of said primary ieelcr eing thin so as to force the weft into a groove of a fluted weftearrier; a lever pivoted on the secondary feeler and having a short arm pivolally connected with the primary teele' and havmg a. long arm with a tooth on the under side thereof; and a controlling lever for the wett-replenishing mechanism, a portion of the said controlling lever being in the path of said tooth, except when said lever is swung upwardly by the. independent sliding movement of the primary feelcr due to its encounter of the weft in substantial. a lvance of the secondary fee-ler.

4-. A feeler mechanism for a weft-replenishing loom having, in combination, a primary feelcr and, a secondary feeler, which both enter the shuttle and come in contact With the mass of weft therein, said primary feeler normally projecting rearwardly be yond the secondary tecler so as to contact with the weft inadva-nce of the secondary fccler and having a movement relatively to said secondary teeler; a controller for the weft replenishing mechanism which is brought into :tion when the primary feelernot moved independently of the secondary feeler; and a normally inactive adjustable auxiliary feeler fast on the secondar 1 feeler which, when adjusted into active position, encounters a definite datum surface in advance of an encounter between the weft and the primary feeler.

A fe'eler mechanism for a weft-repleniahing loom having, in. combination, a primary feeler and a secondary teeler, which both enter the shuttle and come in contactwilh the mass of weft therein, said prin'iaiy normally projecting rearwarlilly beas to contact the eceondarv tech-a yoml the secondary t'eelcr so with the not! in advance of I l l to limit the swinging movcmci'it of the prii n'iary feeler.

7. A 'l ccler mechanism for a weft-replenishing locm having, in cimibinalion, a controller for the n-cit-rcplmiishing mechanism; a reciprocating fceler support; an actuator for the controller movably mounted on said support n'u'ivably connected to said guide on the movement of the primary ieclcr relatively to the actuator.

8. A feeler mechanism :for a wett-rcplcnishing loom having, in C()l'l.]l.)llltll.l0ll, a re actuator; and a ciprocaling primary t'ccler which enters the shuttle,- an. auxiliary tcclcr which cooperates with a tired datum surface carried by the lay; a. 'l'eelcr support "for both of said feelers; a spring which n'mvee the .lcclcr support toward the lay. no part of the pressure applied to the spring by the lay being transmitted through the primary itccler; a controller for the weft-replenishiug inechanism; and an actuator reciprocating with the teeler support and registering with said controller when the feeler mechanism is at rest, and said actuator being operatively connected to the primary tecler so that when said primary .t'eeler encountcra the weft the actuator is moved out of register with said controller, but when said primary fceler does not. encounter the weft said actuator as it moves forward cooperates with said controller.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the n'csence of two subscribing witnesses.

E'iltiilll ill) ll. Bfilll'itill'.

an .l'. illnrrounn, Flinn l liaiqnnmr', ,lr.

; a weftencountering primary ltcelcr' .leolcr support to limit lhe. 

